Kanashiki Shinbo
Kanashiki Shinbo
Kanashiki Shinbo Kaita Falls(detail) 2014 Collection of Artist
First the visitor is asked to look at works of modern poetry text calligraphy by the Sogen Shodokai 〔Founded in 1969 by Kaneko Otei. Focusing on calligraphy of modern poetry, the group includes kanji, kana and seal carving divisions. Heralded as the largest calligraphy group in Japan〕member Kanashiki Shinbo〔Caliligrahy representing contemporary writing's mix of kana and kanji. Known as the chowatai, harmonized form, based on its harmonizing of kana and kanji elements.〕 The work displayed here was first exhibited in Kanashiki's 2014 solo exhibition and presents the entire text of Murayama Kaita's Kaita no Utaeru〔Murayama Kaita (1896-1919). Influence from Yamamoto Kanae led to his becoming a painter and he was an in-house student of Kosugi Hoan. Died of tuberculosis at the young age of 22. His Kaita no utaeru anthology was published posthumously. 〕. This massive work by Kanashiki stretches over 5,000 meters of thin paper strips. Visitors have a chance to see and know this work and how he breaks free from the calligraphy exhibition's usual format of framed sheets of extracts from poetry anthologies, and presents a completely different format work. This works makes us reconsider the question, what makes a large-scale calligraphy work, a format normally thought to be broadly stroked large characters on a massive sheet of paper. Calligraphy works that mix kanji with kana are a relatively new phenomenon. Kaneko Otei〔Kaneko Otei (1906-2001). Studied under Hidaii Tenrai. Published "Shinchowatairon" and other articles as a leading proponent of calligraphy of modern poetry that uses mixed kanji/kana texts as material. Received the Order of Culture in 1990.〕 and others heralded this new genre and many such works are being made today. These works can be called "readable calligraphy" for those today who are unfamiliar with how to read kanji and kuzushiji7〔 Abbreviated script in a grass or running style, with two characters written as continuous line.〕texts. Kaita Falls contains large amounts of kuzushiji, and is thus not necessarily easy to read. However, there are some sections that are legible to all those who read Japanese. Hence, even if a person cannot read the entire text, the hope is that they will be able to have the visceral experience of appreciating the work as an artwork.